Scotch and Snitches
by karategirl666
Summary: A few years after the Freedom war in which many lives were lost a marriage law has been put into effect. A Witch and Wizard from every country has been chosen. Hermione Granger war Hero being chosen for the UK. Upon arriving at the match she sees a familiar face from her past Viktor Krum. from the writer of the ME AND MISS GRANGER SERIES comes a new VKHG tale. Love Humor Adventure
1. Matches

Scotch and Snitches

By Karategirl666

Disclaimer: JK Rowling's world twisted to my liking… *Maniacal laugh*

AN: Dedicated to Amsftwilight who Pmd me and said she or he would read this.

-o-

Hermione sat on her leather couch. Her arm draped lazily over the top of it as she stared down at a daily prophet which rested on one knee. Her tongue was clicking against the top of her mouth as she read the article over and over again. The more she read it the more ridiculous it sounded. She heard a pop outside her door and didn't bother to look up as a knock sounded. She would ignore it as she nearly always did. Feign illness or a pending novel writing session so she wouldn't have to open it up. Sometimes she would act as if she wasn't there which is what she chose to do this time.

"Mione open up please!?" She heard Ron call and she slowly looked to the door. It was the first time Ron had ever come to her flat. She tilted her head as she slowly stood. "Mione are you in there!? I'm coming in." She quickly apperated out of sight the prophet still held in hand. She slowly looked around the deserted street of Hogsmeade. It was unusually quiet, but she had to wonder if it was because of the article in the prophet. She slowly walked over to the pub and walked in going to her usual dark corner.

"Didn't expect to see you here today Miss Granger." The bartender commented.

"The usual Liam." She said.

"Coming up." He said as he set down a glass of fire whiskey. When he walked away she slowly opened up the prophet and laid it out in front of her.

DAILY PROPHET

SPECIAL EDITION

-O-

A Marriage Law in Crisis!

Rita Skeeter reporting live write from the Ministry of Magic. It seems that the Marriage law which has been debated for the past two years since the Freedom War ended has come to light once more. For the first time, since its first admission into the Ministry of Magic Law Abiding Division, the law has made it to the courts. After many hours of deliberation the Ministry of Magic has declared the Wizard World in a state of crisis.

For the first time in 500 years a marriage law will be put into effect immediately. Instead of everyone being up for engagement one witch and one wizard will be put up for engagement from every Magical Country with a low Birthrate. The witches and Wizards chosen will receive letters right away. Though there are already whispers as to who the UK witches and Wizards may be including the war hero Hermione Jane Granger.

She stopped reading the article at that point. She couldn't seem to get past her name. Couldn't seem to read beyond it. She didn't want to be married. She wanted to sit in her flat and write all day, then come out once in a while for a bite to eat at the pub she was sitting in now. She still didn't have a letter and she wondered if Rita Skeeter had just put her name in the article as revenge for keeping her in a bug like state for weeks in a tiny glass jar. Hermione quirked a smile.

"Fond memory…" She muttered as she took a sip of whiskey.

"Here you are a BLT." Liam said setting the plate down.

"Thank you Liam."

"Any time Miss Granger." As he walked away a small pop sounded and she stared at an envelope sitting in front of her. She looked at it for a long moment as she tilted her head. She slowly reached forward and undid the letter. It looked like a cheap flyer from a muggle fair, but it wasn't fair at all. Not in the slightest.

MINISTRY OF MAGIC:

Marriage Division

_Dear Miss Hermione Jane Granger,_

_You have been selected as the UK witch up for marriage. Report to the Ministry of Magic Marriage division tomorrow at 3 for your pairing. Not showing up will result in your immediate expulsion from the Magical world._

_Heggle Hawthorn _

_Marriage specialist._

"What kind of name is Heggle?" She asked with a blank look as she downed her glass of Fire whiskey. "Another Liam!"

"Coming Miss Granger!" he called.

-o-

Hermione stared at herself in the mirror. She usually wore jeans and a t shirt around her flat while writing, reading, or cooking. She never got dressed up not seeing the need to as she was never around any one to impress. But when she went to the Ministry of Magic, and she was nearly called in once a month to lecture new Aurors she had a few things on hand to look presentable. She turned in a small circle as she looked around before nodding in approval and grabbing her wand and heading to her fireplace.

She threw down the floo powder and thought about her destination. She no longer had to shout it out like others. Not with the knowledge she had gained over the years. As her feet hit the ground she was engulfed by photographers. She walked past them and the screaming reporters as she always did during a press fire storm. She tried not to yawn as the reporters continued to scream at the top of their lungs.

It was all very tiring. Normally she was just bored by it. But the night before she truthfully hadn't slept. She wasn't sure what she was going to do yet. If she was going to allow herself to get expelled from the magical world or stay in it and marry someone she didn't know. In all honesty she was very curious about the whole matching process. She didn't know much when it came to the magical marriage laws but this was a chance for her to learn.

She walked down an empty hallway where the reporters weren't allowed and headed up to an elevator. She got inside and grabbed onto a lever as a man took her to the floor he knew she was to be going thanks to the prophet. She stared aimlessly out as the elevator was jerked here and there before it came to a halt and the doors opened.

"Good luck Miss Granger."

"Thank you." She said as she walked down a long hallway.

"Miss Granger there you are." A man walked up to her.

"Heggle I presume?" she asked as her eyes drifted over the man.

"How did you know?" He inquired with a smile.

"You look like a heggle." She said as she looked him over. Heggle couldn't help but shift uncomfortable under the gaze of the war hero.

"Well everyone is inside we're still waiting on a few people."

"I can imagine…" She said before walking into the room and closing the door behind her. The second she had walked in any discussion that had been filling the air space halted. She turned away from the door and looked out at a group of people all of who she knew from reputation or other means.

Viktor slowly stood from a table as his eyes rested on a familiar face. He smiled softly seeing Hermione Granger standing at the door. It turned out the rumors were true. She was indeed the witch chosen for the UK. She had changed a lot since the last time he had seen her. His smile slowly faded as he watched her stare out at all of them with a blank expression. She shrugged at them before walking away to a mini bar.

"Fire whiskey." She said to the barkeep and she sighed as he gave her a scrutinizing look. "Yeah I know, it's early, it's a big day mate just pour the glass." He blinked at her before pouring her the whiskey. "Thanks much." She said slipping him a galleon.

"We're all drinking here. So you are in good company..." She turned towards the familiar voice. She looked over a tall broad shouldered man with spiked black hair and kind russet eyes.

"Well if it isn't the Bulgarian Bon Bon Viktor Krum." She said and he smiled as her expression softened towards him.

"If it isn't the wisest witch of her age Hermione Granger." He took her hand and kissed the back. "Good to see you again."

"You as well, I'm impressed, you said my name right."

"I haf been practicing." He said with a smile. "I knew we'd meet again someday."

"It's too bad we're meeting under these circumstances." She said as they walked away from the bar. "So you are the wizard up for engagement from Bulgaria."

"Dah I am, the witch chose exile from my country. She was muggle born so I guess she figures she can fair vell in that world."

"She's wrong." She said speaking from experience before taking a sip of fire whiskey. Viktor took the moment to look her over. Her honey blonde hair was pinned into a French twist. She was wearing a lace blouse that fit her beautifully with a velvet jacket pea coat style with a corset back detail and black skinny jeans. Her feet were tucked into black suede six inch wedges with a strap around the ankle. "Please don't look me over like that it makes me uncomfortable." She said and he jumped. She hadn't even been looking at him. He looked to see Hermione had a mischievous smile and he sighed in relief.

"You always knew how to slyly joke." He said and she smiled. A young man walked over and Hermione sighed.

"Hi I'm-."

"Joseph Miroff from Russia, no it's not nice to meet me, because I killed your cousin in the Freedom War. Keep walking todays not your day for revenge." The mans happy expression shifted and he glared into her while Viktor just blinked.

"I'll kill you someday Mudblood." He hissed.

"Yeah well." She took a sip of Fire whiskey. "Get in line." The man walked away while Viktor just glared at him. "I have a lot of enemies in this room. If I'm paired with one of them I might just have to kill my husband to be." He looked to her quickly the admission surprising him.

"You're very calm." He said looking to her.

"This is nothing." She said with a shrug. "This is easy… At least for me…" She looked to him. "I'm very sad for you that you were roped up into this Viktor."

"Thank you but I'm okay with this…" He said. "I was bound to get married at some point and was hafing no luck finding someone on own so this is easy for me as vell."

"No it's not but you put on a brave face." He smiled as he looked her over. She always could see right through him.

"Please gather around!" Heggle called.

"Good Luck Viktor." She said.

"Mind if sit with you at the table?"

"Not at all." She said with a smile as they walked over. Viktor pulled out her chair and she tilted her head at the movement before smiling and sitting down. She forgot what a gentleman Viktor could be.

"First I'd like to say what an honor it is to have Miss Grang-."

"Move it along I want to get back to my flat." Hermione said as she set her glass down. Viktor smiled as he looked to Hermione. She had gotten as tough as nails over the years. He had to admit, he liked her new found spunk. She looked to Heggle who was staring at her seemingly at a loss for words. "Seriously move it along I've got better things to do then be auctioned off like a piece of cattle at a slow pace like this… Hop to it skippy…" He quickly nodded

"Right then why don't we go around and introduce our selves, Hermione should we start with you…"

"My name is Hermione Jane Granger, I'm a writer."

"And war hero." Someone said and her jaw clenched visibly though Viktor was the only one who noticed.

"Right well there's my name whose next?" She asked looking around. "Viktor how about you?" He nodded quickly.

"Viktor Miroslav Krum I'm the seeker for the Bulgarian Quidditch Team."

"Nice job in the finals by the way…" Hermione muttered to him as the next person introduced themselves and Viktor smiled at Hermione who was staring forward at Heggles. He looked to the man who was shifting uncomfortable under her gaze. Viktor coughed as to hide his chuckle, she was really working hard at intimidating the man that held all their fates in his hands. After an hour a whole group of sixty people introduced themselves.

"Think it would be rude if I got up and got another drink?" Viktor asked Hermione quietly who smiled.

"No but if you get up get me one too." She said stretching. "I'm bored to bloody tears." Viktor laughed softly.

"You know some of us are taking this seriously." A witch from Spain by the name of Maria said as she glared into the two.

"So am I I'm just not as worried about it." Hermione said.

"Why because you're such a catch?" A Russian witch by the name of Sophie said.

"Honey I've been through a war, this." She motioned to the group of people. "Is nothing compared to that."

"Got a bloody point she has."

"You weren't even there Daniel." She said to the UK wizard chosen. "Don't act like you understand." Viktor smiled. She was a little spit fire that was for sure. He wasn't sure if he envied the man paired with her or slightly pitied him. There wasn't many who could handle her. In fact no one could.

"Shall we start getting paired then?" Heggle asked.

"You mean us you're not getting paired with any one after all." An Italian Wizard by the name of Jose said and Hermione smiled.

"Boy has a point." Hermione said as she got up to get another drink taking Viktor's glass with her. "Another round mate." She said to the bartender who nodded and re filled the glasses. She turned to see the group staring at her. "What?" she asked heading back to the table. "I'm not the only one who needs a drink I'm sure of it…"

"She's right." The wizard from France by the name of Jean said as he and a few others got up to get more alcohol.

"Here you are…" Hermione handed Viktor his glass of Rum and Coke.

"Thank you." He said taking the glass and taking a sip. Hermione sat back down as she looked to Heggles who seemed annoyed.

"Relax you'll get to pair us soon…" She said and he instantly looked to her. "Or do you have somewhere else more interesting to be?" he averted his eyes as Hermione took a sip of fire whiskey. After a few minutes Heggle looked around to see everyone had once more seated.

"So how does this work?" The Italian witch by the name of Juliet asked.

"We'll every ones name has been entered into this Goblet." Heggles said with a smile.

"I do not like this." Viktor said sitting up as Heggle continued to tell them the plan for matching. "Last time name was pulled from goblet I was put under imperious curse."

"You'll be fine… Whoever you're paired with will be lucky to have you…" He somehow found comfort in her words.

"You as well." And she scoffed surprising him.

"Ten men sitting at this table want me dead, six I don't speak their language, four are pureblood extremist, 16 I've sent or killed their family members to Azkaban my chances of happiness are down to a 42 percentile." He looked to her. Logic was kicking in. He knew that whenever Hermione spouted statistics she was more than nervous.

"Don't worry…" He took her hand under the table and Hermione slowly looked down at their entwined hands. "You've been through too much for this to go sour."

"You really don't know my luck do you?" She asked looking him over and in that moment he saw it. For a split second it flashed in her eyes. Fear. He gave her hand a light squeeze and she gave him a soft expression of thanks in return.

"Here we go…" Heggles said and they both turned to the goblet which held their fate in its gaping cup.

-o-

At first Hermione had been nervous, after all her future happiness was in the chalice of a magical goblet. But now she was annoyed. She had been sitting with Viktor for over two hours watching others get matched. She stretched looking down into her glass seeing it was empty. The bartender had left an hour and now there was no way for her to get a drink, which she desperately needed, seeing as there was nothing else to do.

"What is taking so long?" She asked sitting back in her chair.

"We're almost to the end and our choices are looking more and more bleak…" Viktor muttered.

"Please the women left are all giving you hopeful glances, whoever you get will most likely be a doting wife willing and ready to bare you children."

"Only voman here I like is you."

"Trust me… You don't want me." He looked to see she was staring forward as she kicked her feet up on the table.

"Are you serious?" The American Witch asked.

"What?" Hermione asked with a look that made the witch look off quickly not daring to take the war hero on. Viktor smiled as he looked Hermione over. There was something funny in her way. Something very entertaining. She wasn't the awkward blushing girl he had met at Hogwarts. No now she was a confidant strong woman with high morals and an attitude that couldn't be matched. Again he wasn't sure if he envied her husband to be or pitied him.

_Who am I kidding, I'm envious of the man who gets to see her walk down the aisle. _

"Next match." Heggles said. Fire spit up from the goblet and Hermione removed her feet from the table seeing her name. Viktor reached under the table and took her hand in his knowing that she must have been more than nervous in that moment. "We have Hermione Granger being matched with…" fire spit up and spelled out a familiar name. "Viktor Krum."

"Yes!" Viktor said leaping up from his chair while many of the women sighed sadly.

"Well would you look at that." Hermione said with a smile as she stood. "Come on husband to be let's get reacquainted." She said turning and walking out. Viktor looked to table full of people who were blinking as she walked away.

"Uhm Miss Granger?" Heggles asked standing.

"What?" she asked turning as Viktor walked to her.

"The matching isn't done."

"Sure it is, I've been matched Viktor's been matched there for we're leaving." She said. "I've got better things to do then watch 42 other people get matched..."

"But there are things-."

"Yes rules of the engagement which you'll just send by owl anyways, and honestly I'd rather read it then hear it from you…" She opened the door. "Viktor shall we?"

"We shall." He said walking through. Hermione slammed the door for good measure. Viktor and Hermione looked to each other for a long moment before both laughed and Viktor moved forward picking Hermione up in his arms as he spun in a circle.

"Thank god I thought I was going to get matched with that bloke from Russia for sure." Hermione said as he put her down.

"This is great we are matched and we are friends it vill make whole thing easier don't you think?"

"Sure but you know we haven't talked in a long time…" She said.

"Dah this is true, we should go somewhere to get reacquainted." He said.

"How about my flat?" She asked. "It's safe from reporters."

"Sounds good." He said with a nod and she leant her arm for him to take. "Don't we need to go through floo network to get out of ministry?"

"No." she said. "At least I don't. I just use it because… But I don't have to." He slowly nodded and set his hand on her arm. Instantly he felt the familiar pull at his navel. When his feet touched the ground he looked at a room full of stacks of books. "Uhm… I forgot what a mess it was…" He smiled looking around. It wasn't really a mess, it was just cluttered. Full of books stacked high up against the ceilings. He would expect nothing less from a mind like Hermione. When they had dated he knew she could read up to ten books in three days. He knew that hadn't probably changed, in fact the number of books had probably increased. "I meant to make book shelves…" He looked to her. "But I never got around to it…"

"It's fine…" She nodded slowly before she put her hand out. He watched as a stack of books flew off her table and stacked themselves into a new pile by her front door. It was then he noticed it tons of odd symbols glowing on her door and walls. Hermione watched him walk up to one and tilt his head.

"They're cloaking symbols." He looked to her. "I have a lot of enemies these keep them from finding where I live… I should tell you that only three people know where I reside and now you're one of them."

"I vill keep your location safe."

"Thank you, my life does actually depend on it." He nodded. "So drink?" she asked.

"Water?"

"Yeah I think I have that…" She said with a smile as she walked to her kitchen. Viktor looked to a window sill where an owl sat. It was a barn owl. A strange choice for a post owl. His eyes then went to the table below it where hundreds of unopened letters lay.

"You don't check your mail often…"

"Hmm?" she asked coming back in with a pitcher of water with some lemon cut in it. She set a glass in front of him and he poured himself a glass.

"I said you don't check your mail often…" she looked to it and smiled.

"Yeah there mostly all from my editor wondering where my next book is."

"Vell it's been a year since your last one. Which was my favorite by the way."

"You read my books?" She asked with a smile as she looked him over.

"Everyone does." He said with a smile. After all her novels which were all true accounts of her life at Hogwarts with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had become a staple in magical literature. It was now a required reading text for most magical students. The series had come to be known as the Golden Trio Chronicles. "Your last one was my favorite."

"The last one, yes that was about the tournament." She said with a smile.

"I liked how you described me." She looked up in thought as she stood.

"Let me see if I remember how I described you…" she said walking over to her bar station. "A tall broad shouldered young man with a dark brooding expression but a smile to melt the hearts of any woman who lay her eyes upon it."

"Yes I think that was it." He said with a smile as he watched her pour herself a glass of fire whiskey. It was her fifth glass but he figured it was because she had been nervous throughout the day, besides it didn't seem to be affecting her.

"I'm sort of embarrassed you read it I revealed a lot about us, about how I felt." She said sitting back down.

"You did not reveal everything though, which I must thank you for." She nodded.

"You know that was my highest selling book, I think it was because of all your fan girls, what are they called again?"

"The Krumpetts." He said and she laughed the sound ringing like a bell and he smiled.

"That's right…" she took a sip of her drink. "The Krumpetts." He laughed as she looked him over. "Well thank you for the Krumpetts readership they really boosted my pay check." He nodded. "By the way I didn't say it back at the marriage division but… It's uhm…" she looked off. "It's good to see you again Viktor." She looked back to him and he smiled.

"You as vell. It has been so very long." She nodded with a smile. They looked at one another for a long moment.

"So what's our next step?" She asked looking off.

"Meeting the family?" He inquired.

"That's right though I've already met a few of your family members, your mother father and the little one."

"Ah Tase has grown he is no longer little."

"How old is he now?"

"Fifteen."

"Oh bloody hell that's old, which means I'm old." She said and he laughed.

"How do you think I veel?" he asked and she laughed.

"Who else is there again?" she asked.

"Three others, my oldest brother Danail." She nodded trying to keep her jaw from clenching. She knew all about Danail Krum after all. "Second oldest brother Johan, and third oldest brother Yosif."

"Well it will be nice to meet the rest of your family seeing as I never got to meet them before." He nodded with a smile. "So when will I meet them?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, I've got nothing better to do." She said with a smile.

"What of your family?" her jaw clenched as she looked down into her glass.

"What about them?" she asked taking a sip as her jaw clenched.

"When vill I meet them?" He inquired.

"I don't speak to my parents anymore… So you probably won't meet them." He blinked as he looked her over. Her parents and her were closer then he and his own parents.

"You do not speak to them?"

"Nope." She said her glass growing empty.

"Why not?" he inquired and she looked to him.

"I just don't." He slowly nodded seeing in her expression this wasn't a topic he wanted to touch on. "So I'm guessing they won't be at the wed-."

"No."

"Right…" A knock sounded and he looked to the door.

"Just ignore it that door doesn't get opened to anyone."

"Hermione open up it's me Ron!"

"Not even to him?" He asked as she downed her drink.

"Not even to him." She said with a smile.

"Hermione it's out in the paper are you seriously marrying Krum!?"

"You should probably go, I know I'm bailing, so tomorrow I'll meet you at Krum manor when?" She asked standing and he did so as well.

"How about six?" he asked.

"Lovely fancy dress?" She inquired.

"Yes." He said.

"Is that Krum!?" Ron yelled.

"Excellent…" She said with a smile as she shook his hand before apperating out of sight. Viktor looked to the door which Ron was currently pounding on. As the door burst open he apperated out of sight. Hermione's hands slid into her jacket as she moved across the street into her pub. Before she could go inside the spotted Hogwarts castle just off in the distance. Her jaw clenched as pain rose into her chest.

"_Run Hermione!" _

She quickly walked into the pub her head bowed.

"The usual Liam." She said her jaw clenching as she headed to her usual corner booth. Liam walked over to the war hero a glass and bottle in hand. He let his eyes take in her expression. He could instantly tell she wasn't plagued by the marriage law or her engagement to Viktor Krum which had just been leaked. No he had seen the expression only a few times, and it was one of immense sorrow he knew exactly what she was thinking about. He set the glass down before pouring her drink. She instantly downed it and he looked her over for a long moment before putting the bottle down beside her hand.

"On the house Miss Granger." He said softly and she slowly nodded.

"Thank you Liam…" She said quietly her headed bowed forward.

"Just want to say… I'm glad what happened happened…" Her eyes closed. "It was for the greater good."

"Thank you Liam…"

"Any time Miss Granger…"

-O-

**AN: so there it is the first chapter to my new Hermione Viktor fanfic novella series do enjoy and review I'm hoping to beat out my review record of Me and Miss Granger part 2! **


	2. Memories

Viktor paced the study. He knew where Hermione would come through. The floo network linked fireplace in his fathers study. The floo network she always used before when they were dating. He pulled out his pocket watch and checked over the time. She was supposed to show at six and though it hadn't reached that time he was surprised that she had yet to show. After all Hermione was always early. Or at least she used to be. He checked the watch again it was 5:54. It was odd to him, back when they had dated she would have shown at the latest at a 5:00. In her words early was better than late. He heard a pop and turned to see Hermione standing in the middle of the room.

"Hermione." She turned with a smile.

"Viktor hello." She said.

"Hallo, I was expecting you to come in through the floo… Did you apperate the whole way?"

"Yes." She said with a smile. Viktor looked her over. That was a long distance to apperate and he didn't know how she was standing. Apperating was draining on its own. It cross cotenants he couldn't imagine it. "It was easy." He smiled as he looked to her.

"You uhm… You look luffley." He said walking to her and she smiled. She was wearing a black lace dress that flared at the waist and went down to her mid calves with black chiffon rushed sleeves that went down to her elbows and a sweet heart neck line.

"Oh thank you, you look dashing as well." She said and he smiled. He was wearing a silver suit with matching vest and tie. "So where is the family?" she asked.

"By now in the drawing room, mother is excited to see you again."

"I as well, Rayna was always very kind to me. Is your dad home from work?"

"Dah, he is actually retired though." He said as they began to walk.

"Retired?" she asked and he laughed.

"I know, we were all surprised as vell, I thought he'd stay in spell inventing until his last breath." he said looping her arm through his and Viktor couldn't help but smile as he was taking to many years before.

"_There we are…" Hermione said closing the massive shutter as Viktor latched it close. "Last one." She looked to him. "Thanks for the help Viktor."_

"_Is no problem, I was here, you vere here, in need of help, so I help." She smiled and he felt like hitting himself. He never spoke well when around the young bright eyed witch. _

"_Well I was glad you were here and willing to help." She said starting to walk to the front of the library. "You don't know how many times I have cut myself closing those shutters. The cables have a tendency to snap. I could just do it the magical way but I try to do things the muggle way from time to time…"_

"_It is good to not use magic for things you can do yourself." She looked to him with a surprised expression. "Vwat?" _

"_I don't know that just surprises me." She said with a smile leaning against the counter. "I mean you're a pure blood I would think you wouldn't want to do things the muggle way but just prefer to do them the magical way." _

"_Vell you think wrong, which I know is rare for you." She smiled. "My parents taught me to haf strong work ethic and to use hands instead of wand for must-most things." _

"_Your parents sound like lovely people." _

"_They are, they are luffley people…" He said with a smile as she turned and grabbed a basket full of books. "Here let me." He moved forward and took it. _

"_Oh no Viktor I couldn't ask-."_

"_No you could I vwant to help it is least I can do for all your help with my homework… You know my grades are higher than ever." _

"_Well I'm glad I can help… I find myself with a lot of time and you're truthfully helping me by taking up that spare time…" She said walking beside him as they moved through the library Hermione taking books out from the basket and sticking them up in the air to get whisked away to their rightful places nearby. "Harry and- never mind." _

"_No vwat is it Hermyownknee…" He wanted to hit himself for not being able to say her name properly. _

"_Oh you don't want to hear about it, it's about Harry and Ron." _

"_No no I'd like to hear…" _

"_But Harry is your competitor?" _

"_He is also your friend and you are my friend so I'd like to hear what challenges… no that is not word…" he looked up in thought. "What… Bothers you." He looked to her. "When it comes to your friends."_

"_Are you sure?" _

"_Dah please tell." He said and she smiled softly. _

"_It's just Harry and Ron are kind of feuding because of this tournament…" She said putting another book away. "They kind of put me in the middle of it in the beginning but I got sick of being the tether in their game of tug of war…" He nodded as she put another book away the last in the basket. "And now I have all this free time." She said leaning against the table. "Usually I'd be helping Ron with something or Harry-."_

"_Or being on one of your adventures." _

"_Or that." She said with a smile as he put the basket down. "I just find myself bored a lot, you know? I mean there's nothing for me to do, Harry won't take my help with the challenges…"_

"_This is not very smart of him. You are intelligent and skilled he is foolish to not seek out your help. I myself enjoy your help a lot if karkaroff would let me I vould let you help me with tasks." _

"_Really?" she asked with a smile. _

"_In heartbeat." He said with a smile which made her smile more. "You know… It's interesting you say you haf a lot of time because I do as vell." _

"_You do?" she asked looking to him._

"_Dah, normally I'd be doing quidditch but-."_

"_It was cancelled because of the tournament." She said. "Awe Viktor that must be terrible for you I know you love to fly." He smiled. _

"_Dah I do." He said. "But trust me spending time with you has eased the sting." _

"_Well… You're very sweet." He smiled warmly as he looked her over. _

"_Anyways as I was saying I haf much time and I thought you and I could haf time together." _

"_We're having time now aren't we?" she asked with a smile. _

"_Dah yes I uhm…" he cleared his throat. "I guess we are… But I thought we could haf different type of time... Not as friends-."_

"_You don't want to be friends?" she asked and he quickly look to her to see her russet eyes growing large. _

"_No no no this is not what I mean." He said quickly and she relaxed. "What do I mean?" he looked up in thought. "So easy to say in Bulgarian, not easy but, easier…" She smiled as she tilted her head, he wasn't making a lot of sense but he was being very adorable. "I thought… We could… go on day." He smiled as he looked to her. _

"_Go on day?" she asked. _

"_Dah." He said with a nod and he could tell by her expression she didn't understand. "Day yes I mean alone… Day?" she laughed. _

"_Oh date you mean date." She said and he nodded quickly. _

"_Vwat was it I said?" He inquired. _

"_You said day like today." _

"_Oh no I meant date." He said and she laughed. _

"_Date so you did mean date like you want us to be alone together having fun and trying to get to know each other on a deeper level?" she asked and he nodded. "Are you sure?" He laughed. _

"_Why would I not be sure?" he asked. _

"_Because… It's… Me." She said with a sheepish smile. _

"_Yes you beautiful intelligent you." She smiled softly as a slight blush rose up into her cheeks. "Her… Hermione." She looked to him quickly realizing he had said her name right. "I like you a lot, I've liked you since I first saw you, I vwant nothing more than to get to know you better and haf a shot at a romance with you. In some ways I want it more than the Cup. Quidditch world and Triwizard alike." She smiled softly. _

"_That's a big statement coming from you…" _

"_Dah… So what do you say? You me, haf, day?" she laughed as he smiled. _

"_Sure." She said. "Truthfully I wanted to ask you but I've never done this before so I wasn't sure about how to go about it." _

"_Vell then we are on the right page." He said with a smile which she returned. "May I walk you to the great hall for dinner?" _

"_Why of course kind sir." She said as he offered his arm which she took. _

"_I vill plan most wonderful night Hermyowngknee…" _

"_So close." She said and he laughed. _

"_I vill work on it." _

"_Nah… I like how you say my name…" He smiled as he continued to walk beside her. _

"This place hasn't changed at all…" Viktor was pulled back from the past right to the present where Hermione walked at his side.

"Dah the manor has been this way for centuries." He said with a smile as he looked her over. That night he had asked her out had only been five years ago and she had changed so much in that time. He knew in large part the war was too blame. She had been soft and blushing in that library, now as she walked by his side he saw a hardness to her, a readiness for attack, that she hadn't had back then. Still she was beautiful, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"How long has it been in your family?" she inquired but before he could answer he heard a noise from behind.

"Is that the walk of a beautiful lady doomed to spend eternity with a boring Bulgarian man?"

"Is that the voice of a wicked young Bulgarian man?" Hermione asked turning to see a young man with a square jaw and long brown hair to his shoulder which were braided in parts.

"Hermione." He said his arms out.

"Tase." She said her arms out and Viktor smiled as he watched his younger brother rush and pick Hermione up in his arms as she laughed. "Good to see you mate look at you." She said as he put her down. "You're near man sized." She said pinching his cheek.

"Ahk Hermione why must you pinch my cheek?" he asked as Viktor laughed.

"Because it's so cute." She said pinching the other as he swatted at her hand.

"Honestly!" he whined and she laughed as she stopped. "So excited to meet the rest of the family?"

"Incredibly so." She said with a smile as he began to walk with them down the hallway.

"Even Denail?" Viktor looked to his younger brother with a narrowed gaze. "What?"

"Ease up Viktor I know about Denail, he is after all trying to outlaw Muggle born Pure blood marriages, which by the way he must love our coming nuptials."

"He isn't really talking about it." Viktor said.

"Well I'll just have to win him over tonight won't I?" Hermione asked and Tase laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing…" he said with a cheeky smile. Tase walked in through the door making his family turn and look to him. "Have no fear." He did a little dance making his brothers smile at his antics. "For I have arrived. Feel free to bow in the presence of the cute one." He said.

"If you're talking about the girl beside Viktor then yes I shall bow." An older man with a crew cut said as he bowed.

"Boys line up." Alek said to his sons. "Let your future sister and law meet you."

"First let me say hello to my future daughter in law." Rayna gushed as she walked over. Hermione was still in awe of her beauty. She wasn't they kind of classical beauty but the kind that smacked you in the face and punched you for good measure. "Look how beautiful you are…" She said hugging her and Hermione smiled into the embrace. Rayna held Hermione in her arms, something was different from the last time she had embrace the child. Before Hermione would melt right into her, something she had loved, now though there was a rigidness to her.

"Rayna it's lovely to see you again." Hermione said with a warm smile as she pulled back. "You're just as beautiful as ever." She said looking over her snow white skin and long black hair.

"Oh stop you'll make me blush." She said touching her cheek with a smile.

"Hermione." Alek said moving forward and hugging her.

"So good to see you again." Alek eyed his wife as he pulled back and she nodded with a smile.

_The war has changed her… _He thought.

"Congratulations on retirement."

"Oh thank you." He said. "It was time."

"You're thinking of going back aren't you?" she asked.

"Yeah I'm just so bored." Both laughed and Viktor smiled. Hermione had always gotten along well with his dad, even more so then his mom. "So shall we meet my boys?" Alek asked.

"Yes indeed." Hermione said with a smile.

"Tase you know." He winked and she smiled. "Viktor you know."

"Hallo." She smiled.

"Hi…" she said and he laughed softly.

"This here is my middle child-."

"The well adjusted child." He said and she smiled. "Yosif Krum nice to make your acquaintance." He said shaking her hand quickly.

"The pleasure is mine I hear you hold the record here in Bulgaria for dark wizard and witch catching you've done some amazing work… The wizarding world is indebted you for your good work."

"Oh whoa…" his chest swelled. "That means a lot coming for you."

"Not at all." She said with a smile as she moved to the next young man.

"This is my second oldest Johan."

"Hello." He said and she smiled.

"It's an honor to meet you, I've read your manuscript on herbal remedies of the 14th century… Also your research in herbology pertaining to magical creatures is unmatched."

"Why thank you I'm so glad you've read my work I've read yours." He said with a smile.

"We all have." Tase said with a laugh.

"Can we move this along?" Hermione looked to the oldest of the brothers. He had a dark look to him with pure black hair and black eyes. His chin jutted out as his eyes narrowed on her.

"Denail Krum, lovely to finally make your acquaintance." Hermione said putting her hand out. He stared at it for a long moment. "No?" she asked.

"Denail… Take. Her. Hand." Alek said with a stern gaze.

"No it's alright, he'll warm up to me eventually."

"Shall we?" Denail asked before turning and walking off his brothers glaring at him as he did.

"Lovely." Hermione said with a smile.

"He will warm up to you, I mean you won Draco Malfoy over didn't you?" Viktor asked walking to her side as the others entered the dining room.

"Oh yeah but that was out of a sense of guilt he did watch his older cousin torture me and do nothing about it for over an hour." She said with a laugh. "But yeah he sends me Christmas cards." She said as he stared at her.

_Torture? _He asked himself.

"Ready?" she asked with a smile and he nodded as he leant his arm which she took as they entered the dining room.

"Here I set up the chair next to mine for girl talk." Rayna said with a smile. "We have so much to catch up on." The table was set differently than most. Instead of one person at the table usually the father there was two. The father and the mother. Alek had once told her this was because they were of equal standing, and Hermione remembered respecting him more than ever for the admission. As Hermione sat down she realized she was seated directly across from Denail who was glaring daggers into her.

_Oh yeah, this is fun… She thought with a smile. _

"So Hermione, it's been a while." Alek said as dinner appeared at the table.

"It has yeah." She said with a smile.

"What have you been up to?"

"Oh just… Writing." She said as wine appeared before.

"I love your books." Tase said and she smiled as she looked to him.

"Oh that's nice…" She said with a smile.

"I mean they're required by the school, but they're the only books I like to read." 

"That's right you're in school what year are you now?" she asked.

"Fifth."

"I remember my fifth year…" she said with a smile.

"That's the next book coming out right the one about your fifth year?" Yosif inquired as he cut into his roast beef.

"Yes it is." She said with a smile.

"How's it coming along?" Alek asked.

"It's… Coming slowly, a lot happened that year and it's hard to put pen to paper sometimes." Hermione said with a smile.

"What all happened that year?" Johan asked.

"A lot, I mean there was the take over the secret society the breaking into the ministry of magic a lot went down."

"You broke into the ministry of magic?" Johan asked.

"Yeah but… You make it sound like its bad." They laughed as she smiled. "It was for the greater good."

"You have gotten away with so much haven't you?" Denail asked and the table went silent.

"Not really…" Hermione said with a smile as she took a sip of wine. "Oh that's lovely…" She said looking at the wine. "Cabernet?" she asked Alek with a smile.

"I do love your pallet." He said and she smiled.

"Lovely choice." She said and Viktor smiled, she was really very good at controlling conversation. Cutting off his brother before he could start something.

"So Tase you like school not to enter into boring small talk." Hermione said and the others laughed.

"Yeah I do, thought I wish things were more interesting like in your books."

"Trust me it wasn't all that interesting, you throw in a few adjectives and the whole thing comes to life." She said and he smiled. "So you play Quidditch?"

"Dah, I am a keeper." He said with a proud look.

"Tase has a very good shot at making the big leagues." Alek said.

"Yes I've heard whispers of Russia and Germany looking to hire him." Viktor said with a nod to his baby brother.

"Not Bulgaria?" Hermione asked.

"I turned them down." Tase said and she laughed.

"I always liked your spunk kid."

"Try not to congratulate my little brother on throwing a wonderful opportunity away." Denail said with a boring tone to his voice as his food left un touched in front of him.

"Oh I would never congratulate him on that I'm congratulating him on being his own man." Hermione said. "He doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of Viktor but make his own path and I do think that's something to be commended."

"You get me." Tase said. "She gets me." He said looking to his parents. "We're keeping her right?" Hermione laughed.

"Well yes I think the Ministry of magic has made sure of that." Hermione said and Tase smiled.

"Denail honey is something wrong you're not eating?" Rayna asked.

"I refuse to eat when a sewer rat sits at the table in which I do." Everyone went silent except Hermione who smiled as she took a sip of wine.

"And the games begin…" The table burst out into nervous laughter as Hermione toasted Denail who suddenly slammed his fist against the table so hard dishes flew up into the air.

"Do not jest mud blood!" He bellowed.

"Denail!" Alek roared.

"No no it's okay I'm used to it." Hermione said and he looked to her.

"You shouldn't have to be." Alek said.

"It's really okay." She said taking another bite of food.

"How can you sit there and drink and eat and make jokes when my family is coming to ruins?" Denail asked.

"Well I'm hungry and thirsty so that makes it easier." Hermione said and Viktor looked to her as she sat back in her chair her leg crossing over the other as her hands rested in her lap. She looked over Denail for a long moment her eyes flashing.

"You disgusting low life…" Denail spouted. "You sit there drinking your wine and laughing with my family when you are not worthy of either. You filthy mudblood."

"Never tire of that one." She said with a smile as she took a sip of wine.

"You're not worthy of our food and you certainly aren't worthy of my brothers hand in marriage! You are ruining my blood line! Mucking it up with your dirty blood!" he bellowed and Hermione took a bite of pot roast.

"So good…" she said to Rayna who laughed softly.

"Stop it!" Denail bellowed. Hermione suddenly stood her chair flying out from under her as the lights flickered.

"No." she said her voice shaking and instantly Denail shrunk under the intense war hero's gaze. "You stop it." She shook her head as she looked him over. "My god how pathetic a grown man throwing a tantrum all because he doesn't like who his brother is being forced to marry." Denail quickly stood.

"He doesn't have to marry you." He said.

"Really because the ministry says otherwise."

"You could leave the magical world… Get expelled you don't deserve to be here anyways."

"Oh I don't deserve to be in this world?" she asked.

"Not one bit."

"I swear to god I've come into contact with some vile creatures in my day." She said with a smile as she shook her head. "Dementors, Death eaters, Voldemort to name a few," She laughed cynically. "But I tell you this now they were all a pleasure to be around compared to you…" His jaw clenched as he looked down. "Well…" She took a sip of wine. "I'll be leaving now thank you for the pot roast…" She said walking away.

"Hermione…" Viktor said standing as she walked around the table.

"Leaving now doesn't change the fact that you are a filthy no good bottom feeding mudblood who is ruining the good name and blood of Krum by dirtying my brothers bed."

"No but knowing you hate it so much makes it way more fun." He reached for his wand. "Do it." He halted his movements as his eyes grew wide. She hadn't even been looking to him how could she have known? "Pull that wand and see what happens…"

"You don't deserve to be in this world Mudblood." He said his anger rising up into his chest.

"I fought for this world. I bled for it. I grieved for it. If anyone in this room deserves to be in this world it's me…" He turned and looked to Hermione's back. She glanced over her shoulder at him with a dismissive look. "You on the other hand where were you when it all went down?" She asked. "Oh that's right hiding in Belgium on neutral territory like some coward." His jaw clenched as she turned and faced him. "It's you Denail who doesn't deserve to be in this world, after all, what do you do but try and destroy it with your extremist ideals? You know you remind me of someone I met once…"

"Who?"

"No never mind you don't…" She tilted her head as she looked him over. "Even Voldemort had more honor then you." With that she turned and walked away.

"That…" Johan said. "Was awesome."

"I like her!" Yosif said as Viktor ran from the room.

"Hermione!" He ran after her in the halls. "Hermione please don't go." He took a hold of her hand and turned her around to face him.

"I'm not going back in there." She said. "Not when I've already made my dramatic exit." He smiled. "It's not funny Viktor…" He slowly nodded.

"I know… I'm sorry…"

"I can't believe you just sat there." He looked to her. "I mean your brother was laying insult after insult into me and you just sat there and did nothing but watched…" He slowly nodded.

"That was wrong I just thought you could handle it yourself."

"It's not about handling it myself it's about you sticking up for me… Jesus Viktor." She said pulling her hand from his. "I know I'm not your wife and you're not in love with me but I did think I was your friend and deserving of your defense." Before he could say anything she apperated out of sight.

"Damn it." He said his jaw clenching.

"She has a point…" He turned and looked to his father.

"I know…"

-o-

"Stupid extremist asshole." She said as she entered her apartment.

Hermione threw her heels across the room. She jumped when she heard the sound of breaking glass and flipped on the lights. Her jaw clenched as she quickly walked over to a wall where a picture had hung and her shoes had slammed into.

"No no…" She said picking up a broken picture frame holding a muggle photo of her Harry and Ron. The glass had nicked Harry's face and her jaw clenched as she touched it gingerly. "I'm sorry…" She said softy as she pulled out her wand. "I'm sorry I'll fix it… Repairo…" the glass and photo fixed itself and she smiled as she once again hung it on the wall. She touched the frame for a long while as her jaw clenched.

"_Honestly…" Hermione sighed as she walked down the train. "How do you lose a toad?" she peeked into a compartment. "Have you seen a toad a boy named Neville has lost one?" she asked. _

"_No sorry." They said and she nodded as she walked away. She stopped at a compartment door and looked in. _

"_Hi there." A boy with glasses and red hair turned to her the red head holding a wand to a rat. "Hello, have you two seen a toad a boy named Neville has lost one?" _

"_No sorry." The boy with glasses said. _

"_Oh…" Hermione said with a smile seeing the wand pulled. "Are you doing magic?" _

"_Mhm." The red head said with a nod. _

"_Well let's see then." She said and he nodded as he cleared his throat. _

"_Sunshine Daisy's butter mello turn this stupid fat rat yellow." The spell fizzled and Hermione tilted her head. _

"_Is that a real spell?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow. _

"_My brother George invented it." _

"_Well it's not very good is it?" She asked with a smile as she walked in. "I myself have only tried a few spells on my own but they've all worked for me…" She sat before the boy in glasses. "For example-."_

"Stop." Hermione said to herself shaking her head and walking away from the picture and over to her mini bar. "Stop it…" She reached for the whiskey and crookshanks jumped up onto her bar and placed a paw on her hand halting her movements. She looked at the cat for a long while before smiling. "You're right, I've had wine tonight, I wouldn't want to mix that with scotch and whiskey…" She grabbed a bottle of red wine. "Thanks Crookshanks." The cat huffed at its owner. "Don't judge me I've had a rough night…" She muttered walking into her room and shrugging out of her dress as she did putting a sobering charm on as she moved. She laid back on her bed as she set her wine bottle down on her dresser not feeling like opening it up. Hermione's eyes closed as the memory rose back to the forefront of her mind.

"_For example… Accio Repairo…" The bandage on his glasses flew of and disappeared into the tip of her wand. He took the glasses off with a smile as he looked them over. _

"_Hey thanks." He said. _

"_That's better isn't it?' she asked as he put them back on. _

"_Way better." He said with a smile. "Thank you." _

"_No problem… Wow…" she said with a smile. "You're Harry Potter." He nodded shaking her hand. _

"_I'm Hermione Granger." She turned to the red head. "And you are?" _

"_Ron, Ron Weasley." _

"_Pleasure… You two should get your robes on I expect we'll be arriving soon…" _

Her jaw clenched as her arm draped over her eyes and the pain become excruciating in her chest. 

"_Hermione run go run!"_

"Blood hell." She said as she let out a sob.

"_No run!" _She grabbed the wine bottle and threw it across the room where it slammed and shattered against the wall.

"Please god… No more…"

-o-

Viktor sighed as he sat down in his chair. He rubbed his chest as he did a hallow pain resonating there. He got this way from time to time. An unknown pain would rise into his chest and he would feel at a loss for words, sometimes even deeply in sorrow. He wasn't really sure why but whenever he got this way the first thing he did was reach for a drink which he already had in hand thanks to the stress of earlier tonight. He took a swig as he looked over his desk.

"_I can't believe you just sat there." He looked to her. "I mean your brother way laying insult after insult into me and you just sat there and did nothing but watched…" He slowly nodded. _

"_That was wrong I just thought you can handle it yourself." _

"_It's not about handling it myself it's about you sticking up for me… Jesus Viktor." She said pulling her hand from his. "I know I'm not your wife and you're not in love with me but I did think I was your friend and worthy of your defense."_

He reached into his desk and pulled out a stack after stacks of letters. He had found himself going to his desk and looking over these letters many a night since the night he and Hermione had first parted ways. He took a sip of fire whiskey as his mind travelled to that night.

"_You can't make me feel this way and then just expect it to be alright!" _His jaw clenched remembering the way she had screamed. He had cut her deep that night and the betrayal that had been held in her eyes and directed at him still haunted him to this day. He looked over the letters and opened one of the first ones up.

_Dearest Viktor, _

_I'm at home safe for the holidays. My parents are excited to meet yours, and we should be arriving in Bulgaria for the visit in three days time. I can't wait to see you again. I know it's only been a week since you left Hogwarts to return home for the holidays but it feels like longer. I'm glad to hear your journey went well though, and even more happy that you arrived home safe. _

_Hope to hear from you soon. _

_Mina_

He smiled softly as she traced over the light hand writing and the small pressed flower which was inside. His eyes then went to the farthest stack and reached for one. He opened it up and looked at the date.

_Viktor,_

_I know it has been a while since I've written and I am sorry. There are no ill will feelings towards you. Not anymore at least. I've just been very busy… Things are… Busy… Look I'm glad you wrote because it gave me a reason to write to you… Dark times are coming Viktor… Dangerous times… People are going to die. Lots of people. Me probably being amongst them. Just stay safe. Stay away from the UK for a while, and don't go outside if you can help it. You see dark cloaks coming you run. You don't fight. You run. _

_Please stay safe, and good luck. _

_Hermione Granger. _

_P.S. Thanks for your friendship it meant the world. _

Viktor stared at it. There had been no pressed flower. No warm words. Just a warning. Yet that warning had meant the world to him. It had meant the world because after years of not hearing from her it had meant that she still cared.


	3. Minaluff

Viktor sighed as he paced his study. It had been a week. One week since he had seen or heard from Hermione. He had written to Hermione. Apologizing for his and Denails actions. He had owned up to his mistake in not jumping to her defense and had apologized but he had heard nothing back. Hermione had always been a forgiving person and he wondered if that with many other things had changed after the war. Still a week had passed and something big had happened something he needed to speak to Hermione about. The Ministry had sent the rules of engagement and they were extensive. He didn't want to just barge into her home but he didn't see any other choice. He looked to the clock to see it wasn't too late.

"We must talk about this…" he said deciding to go and he went to the floo network to floo to Hogsmeade where he would apperate into her apartment knowing she never opened the front door. "Hogsmeade!" he threw the floo powder down and felt himself get whisked away. He stepped out of the fireplace and walked out of the floo station as he apperated into Hermione's apartment. "Hermione?" He asked looking around the apartment which seemed to have acquired more books. "Hermione?" he walked further into the candle lit flat and peeked into her bedroom. He stopped seeing a broken wine bottle laying by a red stained wall. He bent down and touched the pieces to see they were dry it had been there for some time it seemed.

"Don't. Fucking. Move." He felt a tip of a wand go into the back of his neck and instantly he put his hands up.

"Hermione, it's me…" He felt the wand press further into his neck. "It's Viktor." He said quickly.

"What was the nick name you used to call me when we were dating?" she asked.

"Are you serious-."

"The nick name or I blow your fucking head off…"

"Minaluff…" the wand removed and he quickly turned to look at her to see she was already walking away her back turned to him.

"I could have killed you, you don't just show up here especially in dark cloaks like that." She said as she stowed her wand away.

"I am sorry but I did write." He said as she shrugged out of a pea coat and threw it over a chair. Viktor froze seeing blood dripping down her hand.

"Mina." He said quickly walking over and taking her arm in hand. His eyes travelled up to her face and he cupped her cheek seeing it was harshly bruised with a huge gash above her eyebrow.

"I'm fine." She said moving away from him.

"You are bleeding." He said holding her in his grasp which she pulled away from.

"I'll heal." She said grabbing a vile from a cabinet and then walking over to her bar. He watched as she with shaking hands poured herself a glass of whiskey before pouring the vile in.

"Are you alright?" he asked seeing her barely able to lift the glass to her lips.

"I have a few broken ribs nothing this potion won't fix." She said taking a sip as she leaned against the wall by her bar.

"What happened?" He asked worry evident in his expression.

"I'm fine-."

"What happened?" he asked with a more stern tone.

"Just some people wanting revenge." She said. "Why are you here?" she inquired as he walked to her kitchen and grabbed a rag which he ran under the tap.

"I was worried I haf not heard from you in a week… Again I wrote and I got nothing back."

"I've been busy." She said.

"What happened to you?" He asked walking back to her with the damp cloth. "How did this happen?"

"I told you." She took a sip. "Some blokes wanted revenge they tried to take it I won but they got a few good hexes in before I did." He cupped her cheek and Hermione stared at him unsure of what to do as he started to dab at the gash over her eyebrow.

"Who were these men?"

"I don't know…" she said as Viktor moved closer to her for better access. "Former death eaters…"

"I would very much like to talk to these men and give them piece of my mind."

"Well you can't, they're dead." She said downing the rest of the drink and potion. "You can stop fussing over me." She said as her wounds healed. Viktor looked her over as he watched the bruise fade from her cheek and the gash disappear. "See all better…" she brushed past him as she took the rag from his hand hand and wiped the blood from her arm which was from a spell that had gone through her shoulder.

"Why haf you not written me back?" he asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Again, I've been busy."

"With?" he asked.

"With things, you're not my husband yet, don't think you get to know what I'm doing at all hours of every day." Hermione muttered as she sat down at her table full of books and documents.

"I've been worried." He said looking her over.

"No you've been worried about yourself and your standing with me, and I'm over it… I've been working on something this whole time I swear…"

"Can I ask nicely what you've been working on?"

"I'm working on getting out of this marriage law." He slowly nodded as he looked off.

"So you are still angry…"

"What?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow as she looked to him.

"You're still angry with me and now you don't want to marry me." She laughed and he looked to her as she stood.

"Viktor you're a lovely man, anyone is lucky to have you, so your brothers kind of a donkeys behind, that's not why I'm trying to get out of this."

"Why are you trying to get out of this?"

"Because I don't want to ruin your family name, and I don't want to ruin you."

"You won't ruin the Krum name, no one other than Denail cares that you're a muggle born… They're all excited for the wedding actually. As for ruining me I don't understand…" She smiled as she looked off.

"This will sound horribly cliché…" She said quietly. "But… Viktor, I'm… I'm not good for you." She looked to him. "I'm not like I was when we were together, I've changed."

"So have I."

"Please you're still the sweet man I met all those years ago in that Hogwarts library… Me though, that girl you met, she's gone."

"No… She's still there I can see her." He said with a smile and she didn't know why but his words brought her some sort of comfort.

"Viktor you don't want to be married to me. Trust me, I don't wish me on anyone…" She said before turning back to her work. "I've looked through the laws and I can't find anything, no loopholes." Viktor looked over her shoulder.

"Is this the marriage law?" He asked seeing a vast parchment rolled out across the table with hand written notes scribbled all over it.

"Mhm? I had a guy who owed me a favor." She said and Viktor's eyes widened seeing the wax ministry seal on the bottom of the document.

"Hermione?" he asked.

"Mhm?" she inquired writing a note on the law.

"Is this the actual marriage law?"

"Yep." He instantly took the paper away. "Hey." She turned. "Viktor give it back."

"You can't write on the actual law!" He said horrified.

"Oh relax they never look at those things, besides it's not against the law to write on a law, I've looked."

"Yes but it is illegal to take a law!" She looked up in thought before nodding.

"Your logic is sound." She said before taking the law back and writing another note on it.

"Mina…" She stopped her writing as her eyes drifted closed.

"_I love you Mina…" _

"I don't want to be rude…" she said softly tearing herself away from her memories. "But please don't call me that…" He slowly nodded as he looked off.

"Sorry I, slipped right back into our old ways…"

"It's okay…" she said before going back to reading the law.

"So I guess you saw the packet and it put you into a frenzy to find a way out?"

"Packet?" she inquired. He looked to the mail stack to see the large ministry envelop laying there unopened on top of another huge mound of letter which too were laying untouched.

"Hermione do you ever open your post?" he asked walking over. "The ministry sent this six days ago with things we are required to do by law."

"Well seeing as I've already read the law I know what they want…" She said still looking it over. "This fucking thing is perfect. They must have known I would look at it." She muttered. "Wait maybe they lied in the packet…" Hermione said walking over and taking it from Viktor. She opened it up quickly and began to look it through it. He watched as her eyes flickered over each page quickly before flipping it. It took her a whole minute to get through the whole thing before she sighed. "Nope… They didn't…"

"So the law holds?"

"For now I'm looking into a few other possibilities." She muttered as she sat down her fingers moving over the rim of her glass.

"Well then until you find a way out we need to start working on this packet..." He said setting it down before her. "May discuss it."

"It says we have two years to plan a wedding which I have to say is fair…" She muttered.

"Maybe we should start planning one then just in case you don't find a way out of this."

"Your mum probably has tons of ideas she can just plan it and I'll show up… She can even find my dress if she wants to." She muttered looking over the law.

"You're not even a little bit excited?" He asked.

"For a forced marriage? No…" He slowly nodded as he looked off and Hermione looked over his disappointed expression.

_Stop being so hard on him… _She looked down at the law for a moment before looking to him.

"You… Hungry?" He looked to her a little surprised.

"Yes, actually."

"I went shopping for the first time in months, I could… I don't know make something. If you wanted."

"Sure." He said.

"Over dinner we can discuss what the steps are to appease the Ministry."

"Sounds good."

"I should warn you though I only cook the muggle way so it will take longer then what you're used to."

"Muggle cooking?" he asked. "I hafn't had that since that night I came to your parents' house for dinner."

"Oh yeah I remember that, my dad put you through the ringer a bit…"

"Vell he cared about you a lot."

"Yeah…" She said with a soft expression as she headed to the kitchen. Viktor looked at her for a long moment. "Don't ask." He sat up.

"Ask what?" he inquired as he got up and walked to her.

"Ask what happened with my parents."

"It's just you all were so-."

"What did I just say?" She asked as she chopped an onion while a pot heated up nearby.

"Her-."

"I don't want to talk about it Viktor." She said as she pushed the onion off her knife and into the pot.

"Was it the war?" as soon as he had asked he wish he hadn't. Hermione froze her jaw clenching so hard he could hear it give an angry pop. Hermione put the knife down before walking to the refrigerator. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." She said as she pulled out some fresh butchered chuck from her refrigerator.

"No I shouldn't talk about it."

"Then stop." He slowly nodded as he looked over her haunted expression. "Could you get me a drink please?"

"Sure what would you like?" he asked walking to her mini bar.

"Scotch straight if you would, my shoulder is still killing me from that attack."

"Maybe you should go haf it looked at."

"I will if it doesn't stop by tomorrow, I've already written to Neville telling him I may be coming to see him at Mungos."

"You're still friends with Longbottom?" he asked with a smile as he brought over her drink.

"Thank you." She said taking it. "And yes, will I mean I get a Christmas card and I always send him one. He and Luna had a baby." She said with a smile. "Looks just like her…"

"Luna?" he asked.

"That's right you never met her, she's from the Lovegood family the one that runs the quibbler. She sends me a free copy every two weeks."

"I was wondering why I saw it all around your flat, it didn't seem like your type of reading material." He said as he watched her cut up some garlic while the meat cooked.

"It can be entertaining… Luna has an enjoyable way of writing, one I do love to read." She said with a smile. "So in the laws it says we are to move in together with in three weeks, it has already been one…"

"Yes it does, I'm having a room set up for you at the manor." She looked to him.

"The manor?" she asked.

"Dah." He said with a nod and a smile.

"In Bulgaria?"

"This, does not please you?" he asked.

"No not really, you want me to move all the way to Bulgaria?" She asked as she put the lid over the pot and turned to face him.

"Yes it is where my work is."

"My work is here too…"

"Hermione, you can write anywhere, I haf to be in Bulgaria for Quidditch." She slowly nodded as she looked off.

"Right… I guess you do… It would be a hell of a commute for you if you lived here…" She said taking a sip of scotch as her eyes went to Hogwarts castle which she could see from out any of her windows.

"Living in the manor would only be until our house is built on the grounds, but I don't want to build a house for us without your input." She slowly nodded as she grabbed another pot and put some water into it before setting it on the stove. "It's not fair you haf to move. A lot of this isn't fair especially to you because you are voman. I do not mean to sound egotistical." He said and she nodded. "But this law seems to haf been written by men so it leans more towards in the favor of the men…"

"It's not fair to you either… I mean look at you, you get damaged goods." She said with a laugh and Viktor looked her over.

"I don't think your damaged goods Hermione." She slowly brought her eyes to his, and for a minute he saw it. A remnant of the Hermione he had met all those years ago at Hogwarts. There was an uncertainty there deep in her eyes, and a hint of knowledge he knew he would never have. She smiled softly almost sadly before turning away.

"Yeah…" Viktor felt himself get taken back to so many years ago.

"_Thank you for answering the questions about the lake I had." Viktor said as he sat with Hermione in the corner of the stacks a secret part of the library she had found for them. _

"_Of course, I love talking about the lake, it's so fascinating with all its creatures and such, but I wonder why you're so curious or can you not say?" _

"_Afraid not." He said with a smile. _

"_Well I'm glad I could help, I did help right?" She asked with an eager look. _

"_Dah, very much." He said rolling up the parchment he had taken notes on. Hermione heard giggling and looked up at the book case before them that concealed them from sight. _

"_Where is he?" Viktor perked up hearing a girls voice. _

"_I don't know he's been spending all his time here where is his cute Bulgarian ass?" _

"_Maybe Viktor found out we were watching him…" _

"_Come on let's keep looking... Maybe we can ask book worm Hermione if she's seen him I mean she spends all her time here…" _

"_Yeah lets go find the bushy haired geek…" Viktor glared at the voices while Hermione got up and walked away. Viktor when noticing her movement got up and walked to her side. _

"_Don't listen to them." He said coming to her side and she just smiled as she shook her head and looked over some deserted books. _

"_I'm used to it." _

"_You shouldn't haf to be…"_

"_So… You're actually famous…" She said looking over one of the books. Viktor smiled as he let his eyes roam over her. She never thought of his celebrity. She didn't even know who he was the first time they met in the library. In fact since becoming an international league player she had been the only one not to recognize him. _

"_Yeah… Kind of."_

"_Not kind of I mean you have your photos taken, you're followed by reporters, you have fan girls… everyone knows who Viktor Krum is." He looked her over. When women had said this to him before they had said it with awe but Hermione had sounded uncertain. _

"_Yes…" He said. _

"_I don't think I fit with that." He smiled. _

"_Mina you're famous as vell." He said "I've read articles about you in papers long before I met you. You haf fame as vell. You fit." _

"_I'm not your type of famous, I'm known for my mind, you're known for skill and looks." He smiled. _

"_Mina don't listen to those girls." He said. "They're idiots. What they said was not true… I think they're jealous on top of it." She laughed and he tilted his head._

"_Yes of my bushy hair, pale skin, mucky brown eyes and-."_

"_Stop it." He said taking her hands in his. "Stop Mina." He touched her cheek and her eyes slowly moved to his. "You're beautiful…" She smiled sadly before slowly looking away. _

"_Yeah…"_

"You like vodka sauce as I remember right?" She asked pulling him from his thoughts.

"Uhm yes." He said looking to her as she continued to cook. She still was so beautiful.

"Excellent." She said with a smile. "It's almost done." She waved her hand and stuff flew off the table and set on her couch while glasses and plates set themselves up on the dining room table. "It's been a while since I've had a home cooked meal… Usually I just go across the way to the pub…" She said stirring the sauce.

"I do not mean this in bad way but… You don't get out much do you?" He asked as she magically served the food while they walked to the table.

"I have so much work…" She said with a shrug as she sat down in front of the food.

"Writing?"

"Mhm." She said with a smile. "It actually does take up a lot of my time, there are things I can write about things I can't because of laws but into place after… The uhm…" she cleared her throat as she took a sip of scotch. "War… So I have to find a way to tell my stories without lying to the readers as the Ministry has asked me to do many times… Usually I just give up after a year of trying and pay the fines sent my way for the truth… Also… Crookshanks he keeps me busy."

"Crookshanks is still alive?" he asked and she nodded with a smile. "He was old when you got him though."

"Yeah I'm starting to think he's an animangus that has been trapped, he does a lot of human things… Like rubs his paws together with this plotting look… Also I've caught him reading a few times." Viktor blinked.

"You're not worried?"

"Why should I be?"

"He could be some one sinister."

"He hasn't tried to kill me yet." She said with a shrug and they both watched as the cat came strolling in. They both stopped and looked to the cat who tilted its head before rubbing its paws together.

"Try it I dare you." She said with a point of her fork and Viktor laughed as the cat yawned before walking off. Viktor smiled for a moment before spotting the broken wine bottle from before near the entrance of her bedroom.

"How long has that bottle been there?"

"Which one?" Viktor slowly looked around to spot a few more empty bottles of whiskey around the apartment.

"The broken one." She looked to her bedroom her jaw clenching.

"Maybe… A week… Every time I go to clean it up something gets in the way…" She waved her hand and it disappeared from sight. Viktor looked back to the other bottles and Hermione smiled.

"Oh I know that expression." She said and he looked to her. "I know all the bottles look a little suspect, and I'm not one to say I don't drink, because I do, it looks like I have a problem though with all the empties." He nodded.

"A little."

"Well don't worry… The truth is, is empty bottles of whiskey I uhm…" Her jaw clenched as she averted her eyes. "I can't bring myself to throw any whiskey bottles away, I like the smell… It reminds me of my dad… He loved whiskey and every night like me he would come home and pour himself a drink to relax after a long day…" she smiled fondly and he watched as a warm look came over her expression. "I remember how his chair he sat in by the mini bar always smelled like whiskey… And well toothpaste. Leaving the empty bottles around sometimes I'll be walking and I'll catch that whiff of left over whiskey and it takes me right back to my dad you know?" She asked warmly as she looked at her glass of scotch. "My parents are dead, that's why I don't talk to them." He looked at her for a long moment, he couldn't believe he didn't know Mr. and Mrs. Granger had passed.

"What happened?" Her jaw clenched as a flash of pain came over her expression. Viktor reached across the table and took her hand in his. "Forget I asked." She looked at their entwined hands for a moment before she brought her eyes up to him and nodded.

"Thank you most people press me for the story." She said softly as she got up and walked to her alcohol. "Top off your wine?"

"Yes… Thank you…" Just when he thought he had broken through a wall another built back up. She walked back over and filled his glass. "Thank you." He said and she nodded as she sat back down. "This pasta is amazing by the way." She smiled.

"So glad you like it, I was a little worried, it has been so long since I've cooked as I said before."

"It's fantastic." He said with a smile. "Oh so mother has planned an engagement party for us." Hermione slowly nodded.

"An engagement party?" she inquired as she forked her pasta.

"Dah." He said with a nod.

"When?"

"In a week."

"That's quick." Her tone made him look to her.

"She's excited."

"We hardly know each other should we be putting on a show?"

"We are… Friends."

"Why put up a charade?" she asked looking to him. "I mean why not let us develop for a year and have one then?"

"Why not just get it out of the way?"

"Fine." She said as she looked off. "You know what not fine too fast." She said getting up and Viktor sighed.

"Too fast?" He asked turning in his seat to look at her as she walked to her kitchen with her plate.

"We've only been forced engaged for a week Viktor we should hold off on a sham of an engagement party for a year, maybe when it comes it won't be such a sham…"

"Hermione…" He said. "It's not that big a deal-."

"Why are you rushing things?" She asked turning to look at him. "It's all moving so fast."

"It's just an engagement party."

"Not to you." She said ad he slowly stood.

"Your meaning?" he asked and her jaw clenched.

"We can't just pick up where we left off Viktor…" He slowly nodded.

"I was waiting for this."

"So was I, I got sick of waiting."

"I know what I did-."

"This isn't about that…" She said looking off. "Look… I know that you're loving this." She said looking to him. "I know that this is great for you, not because I'm some great catch-."

"Which you are."

"Stop it." She said her jaw clenching. "It's wonderful that you're getting to marry who you want but Viktor… I might have once thought of a life together with you but after what…" her voice trailed off not being able to say it. "I never did again…"

"I did." He said and she looked him over. "I thought about it nearly every day, I thought about you every day, the life we could haf had… So yes I am happy about us-."

"There's no us though!" She said with a laugh. "There's you, me, and the Ministry."

"Mina I vill make it up-."

"Don't call me that!" she yelled before turning away from him. "You need to go. I need you to go." She said quickly.

"I'm sorry."

"You're always sorry…" She muttered.

"I'll halt the engagement party…" she slowly looked to him. "You're right we can't just pick up where we left off… As much as I want that, I did too much damage." Her jaw clenched. "Hermione…" He walked to her and she averted her eyes from his. "I promise I vill make everything up to you." She shook her head.

"It's not about that…"

"Then what is it about you can tell me."

"It's moving too fast."

"Okay." He said nodding. "Okay I vill slow it all down as much as I can without breaking this new law." Her jaw clenched. "Hermione… I don't know if it's worth anything but… I promise I vill make it up to you, and I vill be a good husband to you… I vill be everything you deserve this time around."

"You're my friend…" she looked to him and he smiled softly. "But you'll never be anything more than that to me…" She walked past him as his expression fell. "Good night Viktor." She walked to her room and closed the French doors. Her jaw clenched as she heard him walk a few paces before apperating with a loud pop. Her jaw clenched as she looked all around before backing up into her wall and sliding down to the ground her knees pulled to her chest.

"Bloody hell Hermione… You've wanted it just the same…"

_Why do you have to make things so hard on yourself and him?_

"Because I'm a bitter old woman…" She muttered as she ran her fingers through her hair.

-o-

Viktor slowly walked into his bedroom and over to the bed. He instantly sat down his head hung. He was enraged with himself. Not only for tonight but the night long ago that had distressed them so much.

_Hermione smiled as she walked through the quidditch Stadium. She had come to surprise Viktor after one of his matches for his birthday. Her parents had allowed her to spend the last month of her vacation in Bulgaria and had worked hard with Viktor's parents to keep it a secret. She stopped before a mirror and smiled as she brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear nervously. She smiled softly feel beautiful for the first time since the yule ball. She heard a thud and turned her eyes widening as she did. Viktor laughed as he backed up into a wall his arms around a young woman with long straight white blonde hair. Her lips moved against his and Hermione felt her breath hitch in her throat with such ferocity it made a horrified noise. Viktor turned his eyes widening. _

"_Mina?" he asked pushing the woman off. _

"_Viktor." Hermione said back her jaw clenching. _

"_Who is she-."_

"_Leaf." Viktor ordered the woman who just smiled before sauntering off. He took a moment wondering how he should start. "Mina…" he looked just in time before a loud crack sounded and he reeled back. He blinked for a moment confused until pain resonated in his cheek. He realized in that moment that Hermione had slapped him. He slowly brought his eyes to hers and froze. Her jaw was clenched tightly as a tear rolled down her cheek. He had never seen her cry, not once. _

"_Surprise, happy birthday." She said pushing a wrapped gift into his chest before turning and walking off. _

"_Mina… Mina wait!" he called as she started to run. "It's not what you think." She reeled on him and he froze at her enraged expression. _

"_Don't lie to me on top of what you've done!" She yelled more tears falling. "You shouldn't be coming after me, I could care less I really could, you should be going after her!" she said pointing over his shoulder. _

"_Mina-."_

"_No I'm done!" she yelled before she took a shaky breath and wiped a tear away. "I'm done…" she went to walk away and he took her hand in his. _

"_Mina no…" he said not wanting her to walk away. She tried to pull away but he cupped her cheek in his hand. _

"_Let go-."_

"_Mina I love you…"_

"_Let go of me!" _

"Stop…" Viktor said his head bowing forward as his hand went to his chest where a numb ache had risen to the surface. "Stop it…" He quickly got up and walked over to his desk. His jaw clenched as he slowly opened one of his larger drawers. He stared down at an old unwrapped present sitting inside the darkness. He never had been able to bring himself to unwrap the gift. "Damn it Viktor." He muttered as he sat down and stared at the gift inside.


	4. Mortem

AN: So sorry about this guys, it took forever to get this chapter out I had so many ideas for them and wasn't sure how to get it out on paper. I hope you all understand I just want to give you guys the best product I can. Love you all! As always Check me out on **TUMBLR** under the screename **Karategirl666**

-o-

Viktor slowly walked down his hallway. He hadn't slept much last night. Instead he had been plagued with memories of Hermione, and their once happy, now nonexistent relationship. Every time sleep had nearly come over him her words had echoed through his mind and shot him back into reality.

"_You're my friend…" she looked to him and he smiled softly. "But you'll never be anything more than that to me…"_

_I want to be more than that again. A day hasn't passed since that night that I haven't though how badly I messed my life up. How badly I wanted to take it back. How badly I wanted her to be in my arms once more. I'm such an idiot._

"Sure I like blue." He stopped just outside the dining room.

"Hermione you must choose a color." His mother said with a laugh and slowly Viktor walked in. "Ah Viktor dear you're finally up." Hermione slowly brought her eyes to Viktor as she sat up. "I wanted to wake you but Hermione said she thought it would be best if you slept in. Already looking after my boy." Rayna said with a smile as she set her hand on Hermione's. "I'm going to go tell your father you're up so we can head to the party planner." Rayna said getting up and heading out of the room. Viktor looked to Hermione for a long moment who shifted under his gaze as she slowly stood.

"Party?" He asked.

"Yes, I decided we should go ahead with the engagement party… I mean it seemed important to you…"

"You don't haf to do this Hermione."

"No I mean you're being so patient with me, and I hardly am with you, this is the least I can do."

"No I've been pushing you…" He said as he walked to her. "And I've been…" he looked up in thought trying to pull the word. "I've been… Insensitive." He said looking to her.

"No…"

"Yes… It's not fair that it's just under the mote and done with." Hermione smiled. "What?"

"Under the bridge… Not… Mote."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes I always have known what you meant." She said with a smile as she shook her head.

"Ah there he is." Alek said walking in.

"So are we okay for right now?" Viktor asked Hermione quietly.

"Yeah we're good." Hermione said softly as his father walked over.

"I thought you would sleep all the day away my son." Alek said.

"No… I didn't sleep much at all last night." Viktor said and Hermione looked him over.

"No?" Rayna asked.

"No… I was thinking you see… That we should hold off on this engagement party… I would like to know Hermione better before we announce ourselves to the world as a husband and wife to be…" Hermione smiled.

"Haf you asked Hermione what she thinks of this?" Alek asked.

"I think it's a fine idea… I was only going ahead with the party because I thought Viktor wanted to…" She said.

"You two want to get to know one another." Rayna said. "That makes sense." She said with a smile.

"Indeed." Alek said. "You two should start to get to know another now, go have breakfast together, or lunch it is getting around that time."

"There's a good idea." Rayna said. "You two have fun…" she said with a smile as she and her husband headed off.

"So… Lunch?" Viktor asked looking to Hermione who smiled.

"There's that pub across the street from my flat."

"Or there are places here in Bulgaria."

"That's true…" she said shifting on her feet. "I know a place that has brunch." Hermione looked off. "Or we can go to that pub…"

"Look…" Hermione ran her fingers through her hair. "I need to explain something to you… uhm… I have a lot of people who want me dead. They want me dead and they will take any chance the get to kill me… It's why I don't leave my apartment often and why I don't go anywhere but the pub across the street from me, because I know the bartender and cook well, and they won't poison my food or drink maybe because the like me or maybe because I own that pub and pay them on a weekly basis, it's probably because I pay them… I can't just go places. I… I don't have that luxury." It was in that moment Viktor realized just how isolated Hermione was. "It's… It's just too dangerous for me too…"

"Okay… I can understand that." He said nodding and she looked to him. No one had ever understood that. "How about we have lunch here, just us? We'll take it to my apartments where we can be alone." She smiled softly.

"We can do that?" she asked.

"Of course." He said. "And the house elves didn't try to poison you the last time you were here so I think it's safe."

"No, House elves love me." She said with a smile.

"Alright let's head up to my room then I'm sure they're already cooking something delicious for us to eat." He leant his arm and she slowly took it before Viktor apperated her straight into his room. She slowly looked around, it was the same as the last time she had been there. Her eyes travelled to the bed and she took a deep breath as she remembered the way she and Viktor had rolled across it on more than one occasion. She looked back to Viktor who was smiling softly at her.

"Can I have a drink?" she asked seeing the mini bar behind him.

"Sure…" He said with a smile. She walked past him and flipped a bottle up into her hands while grabbing a glass with her other hand. Viktor watched as she went to pour her drink but stopped as she looked up. She put the items down and sighed heavily.

"I… I can't do this." She said shaking her head. "Look I came up with an idea of how to get out of this marriage law and I think I should pass it by you." She said before turning to look at him.

"You found a loop hole?"

"No… Here's my offer, and keep in mind as hard as it sounds it's not for me because I've already done it, we don't get married my choice, you get to stay in the magical world because you were willing to be married and I'm the one who gets expelled… Only to expel me and take my wand they have to catch me first which they won't be able to… I'd go on the run." He stared at her for a long moment. "What do you think?"

"Mostly I think no." he said. "Hermione that's not the way… I won't haf you become a criminal."

"It would be easier than this charade Viktor."

"I don't understand it…" he said looking her over. "One moment you're letting me in the next you're shutting me back out."

"You don't understand what it would be like for you to be my husband, I'm trying to do you a favor-."

"I wish you wouldn't lie to me like that." He said and her eyes narrowed.

"Well I wasn't the one who lied first was I?"

"I never lied to you."

"Really I think the words Mina I love you were one of the biggest lies you ever told me."

"I wasn't lying when I said that." He said walking to her. "I did love you, I st-." A buzzing sounded and Hermione sighed as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pocket watch. She flipped it open and sighed even more heavily.

"We're going to have to continue this lovely conversation later… I'm being hailed to the Ministry of magic." Before he could say anything she disappeared from sight.

"God damn it." He said looking off.

-o-

Hermione hung her head as she poured herself a drink. She didn't have to go to the Ministry of magic. She had charmed her pocket watch to hail her whenever her emotions were getting out of line. She hadn't have had to use it for some time, but since Viktor had come back into her life she felt the need. Instead she had gone to the shrieking shack and sat in the darkness for hours trying to focus on the good times in her life rather than the bad, in the end the bad memories took over, as they always did. She took a deep breath as she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She hated what she saw. She still had her youth and though many said she was beautiful she didn't see it, but she was happy with her appearance. It wasn't the physical aspects that bothered her but the underlying problems.

"Such a bitter old woman…" she muttered before looking away.

"You're not that bitter…" She turned quickly and sighed seeing Kellen the cook at the pub across the street.

"Kellen what the hell are you doing in here?" She asked.

"It's the second Tuesday of the month…" he said walking to her. "That's usually when I come over." He said as his hands set on her hips. She pushed his hands away and turned continuing to pour her liquor.

"Get out…" she said and Kellen tilted his head.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked.

"I rarely kid…" she said walking off and taking a sip of her liquor.

"Is this because you're marrying that dim witted Bulgarian?" Her eyes narrowed as she turned and looked to him.

"Viktor's a brilliant man…" she said with a dangerous tone to her voice that made Kellen take a step back. Hermione looked off as she took another sip of her drink.

_Why did I jump to Viktor's defense like that?_ She looked to Kellen her jaw clenching.

"Get out…" She turned and walked to her bedroom. Kellen smiled softly as he followed her in.

"I get it you're playing like you did that first night… Hard to get…" He said as she set her drink down on her vanity to look over a new book which had arrived.

"No I just really want to be alone…" She said.

_No you don't you want to be with Viktor… Stop it Hermione._ She sighed heavily as she felt Kellen move up behind her and wrap his arms around her body.

"I'm not interested…" Neither heard the pop that sounded within the apartment. Viktor looked all around before hearing noise coming from the bedroom. He carefully made his way over.

"Not interested?" Kellen asked and Viktor stopped seeing a mans arms around Hermione who looked disinterested as she looked over a book in hand.

"Not even slightly, I'm to be married-."

"Like that matters to you, besides I hear its two years off… That gives us plenty of time to have some fun…" he said pulling her hair over her shoulder. "Besides I know how you are, you don't get attached it's one of the things I love about us."

"Get out, I won't ask again." She said. Viktor's eyes narrowed as he watched the man kiss Hermione's neck.

"We go through this every time, you say no, and then eventually you give into me… So just give into me… Don't you want me to make you forget everything even for just an hour or so?" Viktor watched as her eyes drifted closed. "Don't you want to feel good again?" She turned in his arms and he cupped her cheek with a smile. His eyes widened and he slowly backed up seeing she had pointed her wand into his throat.

"Get the fuck out of my apartment." She said and he put his hands up.

"You're breaking up with me?"

"We were never together you were just something to spend some lonely drunken nights with." She said with a smile.

"You can't seriously be saying no to me."

"Honestly Kellen, I'm not saying no I'm saying I don't want to waste my time… You're a hard mountain to trek, but the summit I'm afraid is…" she looked off. "Well…" she glanced back to him. "Is nonexistent..." Viktor smiled to himself.

"You came every time for me, you screamed." He said and she laughed.

"Yeah because the louder I got the faster you came, and honestly I just wanted you off of me." She said and his eyes narrowed. "Now." She fired a spell and Kellen yelled as he jumped out of the way. "Get out!" He apperated out of sight and Hermione sighed heavily. "Like a fucking dog…" She muttered looking up in thought before grabbing her drink and slowly sitting on the edge of her bed. She bowed her head forward and buried her face in her palms.

"_We go through this every time, you say no, and then eventually you give into me… So just give into me… Don't you want me to make you forget everything even for just an hour or so? Don't you want to feel good again?"_

"Why would he ever think I'd be able to forget?" She asked herself quietly as she gave a cynical laugh. Viktor furrowed his brow remembering what the man named Kellen had said to her. "Fuck my life…" She muttered as she downed the drink. She stared at the empty glass for a long moment. "Are you going to hide out all night or are you going to make yourself known already?" She asked pouring herself another drink from a bottle of whiskey on her bedside table. Viktor slowly walked out into view and she raised her glass to him. "Enjoy the show?"

"I didn't mean to eaves drop." He said looking at the burn mark in the floor from where she had thrown a curse Kellens way.

"Sure you did, if you didn't, you wouldn't have…" She said.

"I wanted to see if you two were together."

"We never were so you can put your mind at ease." She said getting up and stretching as she downed her glass once more.

"You two did sleep together though?" He asked.

"Obviously." She said walking over to a desk in her bedroom that was full of paper work.

"I don't know why I thought…"

"What?" she asked looking to him. "That I was Celibate?" He shrugged. "Have you been celibate Viktor?" She asked with a smile as she grabbed a bottle of wine and looked it over. "Of course you haven't, you didn't even abstain from sex when we were together and not having it…" He looked up at her.

"Are you going to keep throwing that in my face?"

"Sorry… But I never did get the chance before, with the whole continents in between us and all that." She muttered putting the wine bottle down, it smelled like vinegar so she wasn't sure how long it had been out for, but she was sure she didn't want to drink it. She walked over to her bedside table and decided to stick with the whiskey.

"You had plenty of chances in letters." He said watching her pour herself another drink.

"What could I have said hmm? It's been six months but I just wanted to say I still hate you… No I was civil."

"Hate? You hate me?" he inquired and she looked to him with a shrug.

"Honestly now I don't hate you, I don't feel anything towards you, I'm indifferent towards you Viktor."

"You didn't act so when we saw each other again during the name drawing for the pairing."

"You were the only person in the room I was sure didn't want to kill me, so yeah I stuck by your side."

"What about all those letters you sent me, they spoke of friendship-."

"I needed to stay on good terms with you for the connections you brought me in case I needed them during the war, turns out I didn't but still there was a chance I would have to name drop at some point.

"You would haf never used someone like that, no matter how angry you were with them… And I think I should bring up that I wanted to work through it-." She laughed. "You were the one who left."

"Sorry if I didn't want to have any physical contact with you, I was just worried I might catch something…" she muttered as she took a sip of her drink and walked out of her bedroom.

"I don't understand you…" he said. "One second you want to work on us, on making this marriage work the next you're being cruel." She looked down into her drink with a soft expression. "One second we're about to haf lunch and we're hafing a good time and the next-."

"It was the bed." She said and he looked to her.

"What?" he asked.

"I saw your bed and I remembered everything we once had…" She said softly before taking a drink. "I remembered what I once had, and it reminded me of what I didn't have any more, I know that all sounds vague but it's all I can bring myself to say at this time… the point is… I saw that bed and I remembered how happy I once was with you and how incredibly miserable I am now and it… set me off." She said before downing her drink. "It brought up all these things, and I couldn't deal…" She grabbed her bottle of scotch. "I still can't deal with it." As she went to pour herself another drink she stopped when Viktor's hand rested over her glass blocking her from doing so.

Viktor looked over Hermione for a long moment. She was staring down at his hand with dark eyes. He watched as her jaw clenched and she took a deep breath. She slowly brought her eyes to his and Viktor watched as an expression of agony flickered across her expression before hiding behind an unreadable one. He took a breath and gathered all the courage he had before slowly reaching up and placing his hand on her cheek. Hermione's eyes slowly drifted closed as a tear fell down her cheek and cascaded over the back of his hand.

"Hermione…" He said softly and she took a deep breath before looking to him. They stared at one another for a long time. Viktor wanted to say something, but what could he say to a woman he had a betrayed, to a woman who had been through so much in such a small amount of time. Hermione took another deep breath and shook her head before going to walk away and Viktor set his other hand on her hip stopping her. She stared at his broad muscular chest for a long moment before slowly bringing her eyes up to meet his. Viktor took a deep breath before slowly moving forward and brushing his lips against hers. He bowed his head when Hermione instantly pulled back staring at him with an angry expression. "I'm sorr-." Hermione cut him off as she moved forward and kissed him. Viktor blinked before his eyes closed and he pulled her body closer to his as he deepened the kiss.

Hermione sighed into his mouth as her hands rested on his hips. She remembered this. The passion. The electricity that used to shoot between their bodies. In all honesty with all the men she had been with since Viktor, none had compared. The feeling she had with him was indescribable. It was intoxicating. When she had been out in the woods looking for the Horcruxes she had kept herself warm more than a few nights with the thought of his hands on her body.

They had never had sex, but Hermione had always wondered what it would have been like with him. She had wanted nothing more than when they were together to give herself completely to him. She had, had every intention of doing so. When she had gone to see him for his birthday it was her biggest gift she was going to give him. But then he had seen him with the other woman, and her plans had been thwarted. Her jaw clenched as she remembered the way Viktor had smiled with the other woman in his arms. Hermione pulled back. She looked at him for a long moment. In the time they had been kissing though her mind had gone to a dark place, it hadn't gone to the dark place it normally did. Still she couldn't bring herself to use him like that. Still, she felt so safe in that moment.

Viktor sighed contently into Hermione's mouth as he backed her up against her writing table. He had missed this. Missed her. Missed the feeling of her body pressed against his. Missed how perfectly his tongue moved against hers. He didn't know where this was going, but all he did know was that it was a big improvement from where they had been just a few moments ago.

"I missed you…" he said his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. Hermione took a shaking breath as she set her hands against his strong chest.

"I can't do this…" She said turning away from him, and out of all the things she had done in her life that were wretched and awful walking away from him in that moment was one of the worst. "I can't do this."

"Of course…" Viktor said angry with himself. She had been drinking how could he take advantage of her like that? "Hermione I'm sorry." He said shaking his head. "I shouldn't have-."

"No don't… Don't take it back…" She said quietly. Viktor took a deep breath, her words had given him more hope than anything he had ever heard her say before. He slowly walked up behind her and set his hands on her shoulders before sliding them down to rest on her upper arms.

"I'm not sorry for kissing you… I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable." He said.

"You didn't…" Hermione admitted.

"Then why did you pull away?"

"Because…" She said softly. "If we started kissing here then we'd start kissing in the bedroom which would lead to the bed..."

"Would that be so terrible?"

"Yes…" he bowed his head forward. "I can't use you like that."

"Use me?" he asked moving around her. "You would not be using me-."

"Yes… I would… And… I can't do that to you…" He cradled her face in his hands.

"Why not?" he asked and she slowly brought her eyes up to his.

"I won't say what you wish me to say."

"Then say what _you_ wish to say Hermione…" She took a shaking breath as she pulled away.

"I won't do this Viktor, I can't, not again." She said walking away from him.

"Not do what?"

"Fall…" her jaw clenched she didn't want to say the words but now that she had already begun to speak them she found herself unable to stop. "Fall for you…" Viktor smiled softly. "Not again… Not after what happened… Or how I felt…" Her eyes drifted closed as she felt Viktor wrap his arms around her bringing her back against his muscular chest.

"I won't hurt you… I promise." Her eyes snapped open.

"_This can't work Viktor… I don't fit in your world…"_

"_Of course you do… Of course you do Mina…"_

"_No I don't and… It wouldn't work anyways."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because… Things like this… Things like some amazing guy falling for me doesn't happen…"_

"_It has happened… I love you Mina…"_

"_I love you as well but it can't last… Nothing lasts for me… I always get hurt-."_

"_I won't hurt you Hermione… I promise."_

"You said that before…" She said softly.

"I know… I was young…"

"It's not an excuse Viktor…" She said her jaw clenching.

"I don't know why I did what I did that night… Honestly I can't remember anything from that night other than you and how you walked away-."

"What else was I supposed to do?" she asked turning on him.

"You did exactly what you were supposed to do Hermione." He said quelling her anger and her expression softened. "You did exactly what was deserved…"

"You broke my heart."

"I know… But if it helps, my heart has never been whole since the night I broke yours…"

"How can you have claimed to love me when you did that to me?"

"I don't know how to explain myself… All I can say is I'm so sorry, and all I can do is beg you to give me another chance-."

"You are getting another chance, we're getting married."

"No… That I something that has been forced upon us…" He said. "Upon you… Hermione we'll get married, but that doesn't mean you'll be happy with me, or in love with me as I vill be with you…" She stared at him for a long moment. "Hermione… My heart has only ever beat for you, I still love you, I always haf…"

"You never loved me if you did you wouldn't have cheated on me-."

"That night, it wasn't what it looked like, I got ambushed by-."

"A fan yes you said, but Viktor you were smiling while she did-."

"It was funny how she-."

"It wasn't funny to me!" She shouted and he shook his head.

"I didn't want this talk to go this way…" he said shaking his head. "I know I hurt you, I know there was betrayal, but all I want from you, and I know I don't deserve it Hermione. I know I don't. But all I ask is to know there is a chance for us, for you to haf the feelings you once had for me."

"I would love to say yes, but… I'm… I'm just not capable of it anymore Viktor… And if you did truly love me before then you can't love me now because I'm not who I was before… I'm not that girl anymore."

"I love your soul Hermione, your soul hasn't changed. I just need to know someday you might-."

"You're not listening, I don't love, I can't."

"Why not?"

"Can you just go-."

"No I can't, we're having a talk, something we haven't done in a long while, we…" His voice trailed off seeing her pained expression as she sat down almost defeated looking on an old wooden chair. Viktor slowly walked over and knelt before her. He took her hands in his as his eyes looked her over.

"You're wasting your time on me Viktor…"

"Hermione…" she looked to him slowly. "I vill not abandon you…" She stared at him for a long while. They hadn't even been speaking about that, yet he knew just on his own that, that was one of her greatest fears. Hermione slowly moved forward and wrapped her arms around Viktor's neck. He blinked a few times before slowly returning the embrace. He smiled softly, he knew in that moment that there was a chance. A tiny chance that they could once more have what they had so very long ago.

Hermione's eyes drifted closed as she took a deep breath. His soft scent slowly filled her senses and she took another deep breath as she was whisked away to a long time ago. Back before the war. Back before the hurt. Back before the blood. Back when she was allowed to be carefree, back when she was allowed to be happy.

"_I'm trying to say I luff you…" Hermione smiled softly as she looked over Viktor. "I… Love you Hermione." He said correcting his own English. _

"_You love me?" She asked and he laughed as he cupped her cheek. _

"_Yes of course who else would I love?" She laughed softly. _

"_I… I love you too Viktor…" He laughed. _

"_You do?" She laughed again. _

"_I've loved you all this time." He moved forward and kissed her deeply as his arms moved around her. Hermione sighed contently into his mouth as his calming scent filled her senses. _

Hermione slowly pulled back her eyes casted down. All she wanted to do was fall into his arms. Fall into his arms and do what they used to before the world had gone to hell. Viktor slowly tilted her chin up her eyes locking onto his. She went to move forward but stopped, her lips were so close to his she could feel his breath upon her mouth. He slowly raised his hand and cupped her cheek as his eyes searched hers. Her eyes shut tightly as her jaw clenched and she bowed her head forward.

"Viktor…" She slowly looked up to him her eyes wide her body going rigid.

"Yes?" he asked. She suddenly moved forward and pushed him to the ground as an explosion sounded so loud it shattered all the glass in the apartment.

"Get out of here!" Hermione yelled jumping to her feet. Viktor watched as a black shadow slammed in through her window and pushed her up against the wall.

"Found you at last Mudblood." A death eater asked forming before her.

"You weren't looking very hard were you?" She slammed her fist across the death eaters face before kicking him off her body. "Viktor I said run!" She shouted slamming a spell into the death eater who yelled out as he flew back. Viktor quickly got to his feet and jumped as another Death eater came out of nowhere and grabbed Hermione. "Get your fucking hands off of me!"

Viktor watched as Hermione slammed her elbow across the face of a death eater before shooting the other down. She turned back to the death eater she held in her grasp and ripped his mask off before yelling and pointing her wand right at his face. Blood spurted out as the man screamed in agony before she kicked him to the floor and rushed over to the other death eater who was slowly getting to his feet. Hermione grabbed him by his shoulders and pointed her wand into the back of his neck and firing a spell. He screamed for only a second before falling forward to the ground alive, but paralyzed. Hermione stared down at the silent, still body for a long moment her jaw clenching her hands steady.

"You brought it upon yourself." She said softly. She felt herself get grabbed and jumped as she turned and pointed her wand.

"It's me!" Viktor shouted his hands up.

"What the bloody hell are you still doing here?" she asked pushing him to a place outside the view of the windows.

"We need to get out of here."

"No you need to get out of here… Though I will accompany you, I just need a moment."

"A moment we may not haf a moment!" He yelled as she rushed into her bedroom.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Hermione said not realizing how that could be taken by him as an insult, Viktor realizing that was just her way of seeing things. Hermione quickly flipped her mattress. Viktor rushed to her side and saw a black box sitting inside her box spring. She quickly moved forward and casted it away just as an explosion sounded behind them.

"Crookshanks!" She called and the cat rushed forward and jumped into her arms. Just as a death eater rushed into the room Hermione fired a spell knocking him back as blood spurted from his chest before Grabbing Viktor around the arm and apperating him out of sight. Viktor took a deep breath as his feet slammed down into the ground. He looked around and frowned seeing they were in a dark room.

"Eradia." Hermione said and light slowly illuminated candelabras around a vast library.

"Hermione where are we?" Viktor asked looking around and his eyes landed on a bed in the corner of the library.

"My hide out." She said letting the cat run out of her arms. "When it's safe I'll get word to leave… You are welcome to go of course." He turned and looked at her.

"Where is this?"

"Even I don't know." She said. "It was set up for me by a trusted friend." He looked her over.

"You vill stay here alone?"

"Yes… It's not so bad… I've had to do it before… When rumors of an assassination were spreading." She said before walking over to a table where a black box was seated.

"What's in there?"

"You can go Viktor…" She said turning to look at him and he looked at her for a long moment. It was then he took in her appearance. Her face and clothes were completely spattered with blood.

"No. I'd like to stay here."

"It would be terribly boring for you."

"I'm not leaving you alone…" Hermione suddenly looked off.

"It might be best you don't…" She said quietly. "Its public knowledge that we are to be married… Never before have the death eaters had a way to bring me out of hiding… If they wanted to they would kidnap you, let me know they had you, and I would come running… No you have to stay here." She said looking to him. "I can't have a reason to come out of hiding." Viktor smiled glad she had come to that conclusion on her own, after all if he had pressed it she would have probably used a spell to expel him. "It's just…"

"Just what?" he asked.

"There's only one bathroom, and one bed, and this… Is the only room." Viktor looked around the vast four story library. "It's all I needed you see, and it can't be changed… I'm sorry."

"We'll make it work." He said. "How will we know when it's safe to leave?"

"The roses on the banister." He turned and looked at them. "They'll turn from red to white."

"How long haf you stayed here at one time?" Her jaw clenched as she walked over to a cabinet and opened it up to find her liquor.

"The longest was right after the…" She cleared her throat. "Excuse me, the war." She said looking for a glass.

"How long were you here for?" he asked.

"I don't honestly remember…" she said taking a sip of whiskey. "Drink Viktor?"

"No, I'm alright." He said.

"Well there's water in here and other things, snacks as well… Food will appear three times a day, I assume enough will be sent for both of us." She said turning to look at him.

"How are you not sure of how long you were here for after the war?" She slowly looked to him her jaw clenching.

"I woke up here… and I don't know how long I had been asleep." She said and he instantly knew that wasn't the truth. She took a long swig of whiskey before holding the glass to her chest. "Also…" her jaw visibly clenched. "I wasn't in my uhm… my right mind… I'm sure you can understand."

"Yes." He said instantly not wanting to hesitate with his answer after she had opened up to him.

"I think it was a few months though, but it won't be that long maybe… Two weeks at the most this time… We'll be excused from our meetings at the ministry of course, now that you are my fiancé you are protected under the same laws I am, and are exempt from things because of extenuating circumstances." He nodded. "Your family will have been informed of the attack by now and of your going into hiding with me… After this I will make sure to set up a place of your own-."

"No this is fine, I'd rather be in hiding with you if we need to do this again…" She slowly nodded before looking down at her hands to see they were covered in dried blood.

"I must go… Clean up…" He nodded as he watched her leave the room and walk over to a bookcase. She pushed it open to reveal the bathroom and disappeared behind the book case as it closed. Hermione looked herself over in the mirror covered in blood for a long moment as she drained the whiskey in her glass completely.


End file.
